She slid up close next to David, careful not to tear her silk skirt on the old park bench. It was a cold night and she knew that what she was wearing was far from sufficient and David knew it too. He wrapped his arm around her and smelled her hair. He’d promise to come and wait for John with her, even though it would kill him to see her drive away with him, but she was worth it. Maybe, just maybe, if he were there with her, she’d realize that she’d made a mistake and change her mind.

“I’m sorry I proposed the other day Kate... I’m sorry I put you on the spot like that” David quietly said.

“Don’t worry about it Dave” She replied, trying to shake off the feeling that she should have said yes.

His wish fell flat when he saw John drive up, in his deep red BMW. If he’d had more money, he’d get her back, he thought silently to himself as Kate stood up.

“Night David.” She said lingering for just a moment more than she should have, wanting him to give her a reason to stay.

“Night.” He replied, not looking up. ‘I love you, please don’t leave with him I’m so much better for you!’ The voice inside his head screamed.

He watched the car drive away and felt his heart sink. Slowly standing up he snatched one more glance in the direction the car drove off in then walked back to his house. She’d given the address and the room number of where she’d be tonight, was she asking him to come and get her? That’s what he’d do! He’d burst into the room, confess his undying love for her, she’d jump into his arms and they’d drive off into the sunset together! As if...

He slumped down onto the couch and closed his eyes. But even with his eyes closed all he could see was her... her luscious light brown hair, the freckles on her nose and oh her eyes, her stunning blue eyes. They were as deep as the ocean, so mysterious and gentle. He lost himself in them even just thinking about it. Why did she have to be so perfect? No, she wasn’t perfect. She was better than perfect. Why wasn’t he enough for her? He opened his eyes and looked to the ceiling. No, he thought, I’m not just going to sit here and have a self-pity party; I have to go get her. She’s not just going to fall into my lap and ask me to marry her. I’m tired of just sitting around waiting for things to happen.

And with that he leapt off the couch, grabbed a coat and was out the door.

John slid the key into the slot and walked in to the cheap, dank hotel room, Kate followed close behind him. They had been planning this night for as long as she could remember, it was their first night together. She was shaking with anticipation, but there was also a twang of regret and hesitance. Kate proceeded to sit on the bed while John closed the door.

“Did you tell anyone?” he asked casually

“Only David…” she replied, matching his tone.

He walked over to her and whispered something in her ear then went into the bathroom. She slid back on the bed until her head reached the headboard and then closed her eyes. She heard the bathroom door open, close and open again. Next thing she knew, he was on top of her breathing down her neck. She flicked her eyes open and noticed something in his pocket, she could swear it had the outline of a gun but she shrugged it off.

“Can I talk to you about something before...?” She started to ask but he just pressed his finger against her lips.

“Shhh, I’ve been looking forward to this,” he whispered with that sly tone of his.

She ran her hands through his chestnut brown hair, breathing in his expensive cologne. She felt something cold and hard against her thigh; it slowly started moving upwards and finally reached her chest. She felt pressure just below her ribcage and looked down at the shiny black revolver, held by the hand of the man she thought she loved. His knuckles were turning white. Kate looked deep into his eyes; she couldn’t find the words to say.

“I know you did it” he croaked, tears filling his eyes. “He was only hungry, all he wanted was something to eat and it wasn’t even a full on break-in. YOU left the door unlocked. He wasn’t even armed.”

She scanned his face, what was he talking about? His brother? Were they really going to have that conversation now? Her eyes flashed from the gun and back to his face, she knew that he’d never really gotten over his brother’s death. She never understood it, they weren’t even close. John despised his brother.

“He had a knife John, I was only defending myself and you know that. I am sorry though, I didn’t mean to kill him, and I panicked when he came at me. For all I knew he was trying to kill me. What would you have done if you had heard strange noises coming from downstairs and when you investigated there was a tall dark figure in your house; he had something in his hand John. You’re the one who told me to use the gun if I needed it” She finally managed to say trying to push him off, but it only made him pin her down harder.

“A plastic knife Kate! PLASTIC! For god’s sake, you didn’t need to shoot him, that’s the one thing I’ve never liked about you, if there’s ever any pressure, any at all, you panic and do stupid things, and don’t you dare try to put the blame on me.” He was getting really frustrated now; he’d been waiting for this moment, to finally kill the person who unrightfully took his brother’s life, even if it was his girlfriend and even if he hated his brother.

“Please don’t do this John. If you love me you’ll realize that you don’t really want to revenge his death, you’ve just got caught up with the idea of being the hero, are you sure you want to waste everything we’ve been building just to get even?” Her side of reason could top his any day, she knew it and he knew it. But he knew how to strike fear into her, to shake her world, make her sorry for what she’d done. He placed his finger on the trigger.

He leaned over and whispered in her ear, one last indulgence before he pulled the trigger; he knew what whispering did to her;

“Sorry isn’t good enough, but I want you to know, I never really loved you.”

She heard the trigger click and felt a jolt of electricity run throughout her entire body. The sound shook the room and both of them in it. The tingle from the whisper and the burn from the bullet it was all too much. She saw the world slowly beginning to fade, all she could think about now was David, and how she’d let him down. She loved David more than she’d loved anyone. Even though she chose John, he said he’d always be waiting for her, if she ever changed her mind. Why had she been so stupid?

A cold gust of wind froze the room as the door flew open and all of a sudden she no longer felt the weight of John on top of her. Had she pushed him off? She heard a struggle going on. Something, someone fell, hard. And then there was silence. She felt herself being pulled towards something; she felt pressure on her chest and some one's soft hand stroking her face.

“Katherine, don’t worry babe, every thing's going to be ok, it’s me David, I’m right here for you.” His familiar voice soothed her; she knew everything was going to be ok, whether or not she lived.

“David, I want to answer your question.” She whispered softly.

David searched his head; she couldn’t possibly be talking about the question he asked her only a few days before.

“I thought you already had?” he replied cradling her head in his hands.

“I changed my mind David… It was always you I loved but was too stupid to realise. My answer is yes.” She slowly opened her eyes. “I’m sorry that this is the way I had to tell you. But I wanted you to know... just in case.”

She looked deep into his face, the face she’d seen so many times before, why hadn’t she realized that he was truly the one for her. He’d saved her twice in the past two months. He was her knight in shining armour and it killed her that the only way she had realized it is by having someone put a bullet into her chest. She now noticed how much it burned, it hurt, she was really hurt and there was little chance she’d get out of this one alive.

“Shhh Kate, don’t say that, I love you too.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her head near to his chest; tears were beginning to stream down his face. She was the world to him and all that escaped his lips was “shhh.”

She felt the pain trickle out of her and she offered back a weak smile. She breathed in his scent and closed her eyes, slowly losing her grip on life…

David truly loved her. He really did. Why did he have to go and mess things up by proposing to her before? He was sure she would have said yes if John hadn’t been there. He’d forgotten how, whenever she’s under pressure she freaks out and panics, but that was one of the flaws he loved about her. If he’d stopped her from leaving him earlier that night, none of this would have ever happened. He could see it in her eyes when she told him a couple hours before, that she was meeting John that night and that she didn’t really want to go. She’d wanted David to convince her to stay, but dealing with rejection hurts. He thought he simply couldn’t compete with John - the rich and handsome one, all he was, was an average looking guy barely making enough money to live on, let alone start a family.

She truly rocked his world, saved him from himself and now it was his turn to save her… once again.

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About Me

Andy Robinson

The day was ordinarily dull and grey, but into the grim world there came a new shining light....

Yes it was my bald head. It was 2.36 am. On Tuesday the 11th of December 1962 when, kicking and screaming, I appeared, almost blinding the midwife with the gleam from my scalp. The doctor had said: "This is a tricky one. It's coming out sideways". And from that unconventional start I was set to continue in a similar fashion throughout my whole life, ploughing my own furrow, walking my own plank and beavering away as best I could, by just plodding on regardless...